Create a bright and beautiful nesting bowl out of scrap paper

Project excerpted from Home, Paper, Scissors: Decorative Paper Accessories for the Home by Patricia Zapata

I love these nesting bowls for several reasons but mostly because they creatively use scrap paper. They are easy to make and just happen to look stylish, too. These bowls would be terrific to make with the kids—let them choose the scraps they use. Maybe remnants from their old art projects would work.

1. Shred the fuchsia paper using an office crosscut paper shredder. If using a regular paper shredder, cut the strips into lengths of about 11/2" (3.8cm). If no paper shredder is available, use scissors to cut strips of paper that are 1/8" x 1/2" (3mm x 3.8cm).

2. Prepare a solution of glue and water that is 2 parts of glue per 1 part water. Don't add too much water, or the paper will not hold together. Each bowl will require at least 1/2 cup (118ml) of the drippy glue solution.

5. Start by brushing the bottom of the cling-wrapped bowl with some of the glue solution. Add a small clump of paper (about 4–6 strips) in random fashion, and brush or dab more glue solution over them until they are damp enough that they lay flat and adhere to the bowl.

Instead of using colored card stock, this is the perfect opportunity to make something out of shredded office paper. The bowls will end up looking more rustic with the different colors of paper and typographic elements on them.

6. Continue adding clumps of paper strips, brushing the area they will cover with the glue solution and then brushing the glue solution over them. Cover the bowl until you're about 2" (5cm) from the top edge of the bowl or the work surface. The bowl should be covered by at least 3 levels of paper to ensure stability. The edge of the bowl needs to be generally even, but keep it ragged by making some of the strips on the final row point downward, perpendicular to the work surface.

Tip: It's important that the glue stay w enough to firmly hold the bowl together. The consistency of the 2 parts glue to 1 part water should resemble liquid soap. As you apply the glue solution, keep in mind that the more layers of paper are added the stronger the bowls will be. Allow drying time between layers. Note: Don't worry about covering the surface completely. Part of the charm of the bowls is to leave some small spaces, no larger than 1/8" (6mm), between some of the strips.

7. Place the bowl in a dry and well-ventilated area, and let the surface dry completely. This process may take a day or two. If you'd like to speed it, place the bowl close to a Instead of using colored card stock, this is the perfect opportunity to make something out of shredded office paper. The bowls will end up looking more rustic with the different colors of paper and typographic elements on them. fan. Once the surface appears dry to the touch, carefully remove the bowl from the cling wrap and let it air dry face up until the inside of the bowl is completely dry as well.

8. Repeat the same process (steps 1-7) for the medium bowl using red paper and the smallest bowl using orange paper.

Courtesy of Home, Paper, Scissors: Decorative Paper Accessories for the Home- available at Amazon.com